1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aseptic manipulation system having an isolator, in which an aseptic manipulation chamber is arranged, and a decontamination chamber for introducing an object into the aseptic manipulation chamber, and an object-introducing method for the aseptic manipulation system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known an aseptic manipulation system for performing regenerative medicine such as cell culture, which is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-198079. The aseptic manipulation system is arranged with two pass boxes in an early stage of an aseptic manipulation chamber, the inside of which is kept in an aseptic condition (corresponding to a grade A cleanliness level of air), and the pressures in the two pass boxes are enhanced stepwise towards the aseptic manipulation chamber so that the aseptic manipulation chamber can be installed in an environment of relatively low cleanliness level without a specific facility called a cell processing center (CPC), which is highly controlled in order to maintain a high level of cleanliness. Further, air-lock chambers are provided between the two pass boxes, between the subsequent pass box and the aseptic manipulation chamber, and between an external environment composed of a clean booth and the previous pass box, respectively, so that the environmental conditions between the two pass boxes, between the subsequent pass box and the aseptic manipulation chamber, and between the external environment the previous pass box are not in direct communication when introducing an object; and the object can be introduced into the aseptic manipulation chamber from the external environment while maintaining the aseptic condition.
In the above-described conventional aseptic manipulation system, air is prevented from flowing between the two pass boxes, between the subsequent pass box and the aseptic manipulation chamber, and between the external environment and the previous pass box, so that the cleanliness grade of the aseptic manipulation chamber is prevented from getting worse when introducing an object. However, the object needs to pass through the two pass boxes and the three air lock chambers, and thus, the introducing operations are cumbersome. Further, every time the air-lock chambers are opened to a space of a relatively low grade air a small amount of air flows into the air-lock chambers, which can lower the cleanliness thereof, and if the frequency of the opening operation of the air lock chambers becomes high, it would become difficult to maintain the cleanliness of each of the pass boxes.